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Oct 3-19, 2008 Missing Air Crew Project Yap Island Search Trip

Yap Island is an incredible place to visit. It is one of the last unspoiled islands in the world!

We are returning to Yap from October 3-19, 2008. Please consider joining us!

We will be returning to Yap Island in early October 2008 to continue our search for my uncle's B-24 crew (the Coleman Crew) as well as the other missing AAF, Navy and Marine men and planes we have researched as being lost near Yap during WWII.

Special Hotel package setup for the Missing Air Crew Project

A special Missing Air Crew Project hotel package has been setup for anyone who wants to join us next October for one or two weeks. We would be very interested in anyone who wants to participate within the search efforts (diving, jungle, etc.) or others who want to travel to Yap to see the island and/or provide closure to a family member who was lost.

Two families from other Yap losses joined us on our 2006 search trip

Click to Enlarge Sharon Connor surrounded by Pat Ranfranz and his wife Cherie, who arranged the trip, along with the family of the Anthony B-24 crew and others who joined in the memorial service to remember SGT William Edward Crowley lost on 15 July 1944.

During our 2006 search trip two other families who lost men over Yap in separate 307th Bomb Group B-24's joined us to help search for the planes and to hold memorial services for their losses including Sharon Connor who lost her father near Yap on 15 July 1944. You can read more about Sharon Connor's visit to Yap at:

• Sharon Info
• Sharon Blog

Air and Hotel to Yap Island is more accessible and reasonable than you would think!

Although Yap Island is in a remote location, it is fairly easy to travel to the island via NWA and Continental Airline flights from Japan, Hawaii and Guam. The cost for one roundtrip airfare from the US to Yap has averaged around 2K the last few years. Also, we stay at a wonderful hotel called the Manta Ray Hotel (Yap Divers). It is run by an American, Bill Acker, who has lived on Yap for over 30 years. Bill and his staff provide five star hotel service plus invaluable help to us as we search the water, mangroves and jungle for wreckage.

Help us search or sit by the pool and enjoy the island!

Pat Ranfranz pictured in an April 2007 article.

Yap is one of the most beautiful planes on the planet to visit regardless if you're an explorer, searcher, and diver or just want to sit by the pool in a tropical paradise and enjoy a location that few people in the world have visited.

Video Overview of the Manta Ray Bay Hotel and Yap Island

The followng link provides a very nice video overview of the Manta Ray Bay Hotel and Yap Island:

Manta Ray Bay Hotel & Yap Island Overview Video

Contact Pat Ranfranz for more information

If you're interested in joining us next October (2008), please watch the video and email or call Pat Ranfranz for more information. Pat can be reached at:

• pat@missingaircrew.com
• Phone: 715-458-0020

Contact Will McFarland with World of Diving for pricing and to book your trip

• Will McFarland
• will@worldofdiving.com
• 800-463-4846 Ext. 206
• 310-322-5111 fax
• World of Diving, 301 Main Street, El Segundo, CA 90245
• www.worldofdiving.com